Baked Clams with Tasso Grantinee with a Saffron Sabayon

Ingredients

8 ounces tasso, finely diced
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoons Essence
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
12 medium-size clams, on the half-shell
Saffron Sabayon:
4 egg yolks
Juice of one lemon
Pinch of saffron
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped chives
2 tablespoons brunoise red peppers
2 tablespoons brunoise yellow peppers

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a hot saute pan, render the tasso for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the bread crumbs, Essence and cheese to the rendered tasso, mix thoroughly. Season the clams with salt and pepper. Top each clam with 1 tablespoon of the tasso crust. Place the clams on a baking sheet and bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. For the Sabayon: In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, lemon juice and saffron together. Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water and whisk until pale in color and thick. The sauce will leave a ribbon like trace, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the clams from the oven. Place the clams on a platter and drizzle with the sabayon. Garnish with the chives and peppers.

Yield: 4 appetizer servings